The 2011 Dallas Mavericks are remembered as one of the greatest and most resilient championship teams in history. Many fans believe they captured the hardest ring ever, and despite the legitimacy of the claim, they undeniably defeated some of the best teams ever en route to the top.
Led by Dirk Nowitzki and supported by a decorated core that included Jason Kidd, Tyson Chandler and Shawn Marion , Dallas entered the postseason carrying years of postseason disappointments and dispatched the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round, then shockingly swept the reigning champions, the Los Angeles Lakers , in the second round.
Then came a Conference Finals matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder , featuring future MVPs Kevin Durant , Russell Westbrook and James Harden . On paper, the team was a gargantuan task. However, in reality, the trio was still learning how to win at the highest level together, and everyone knew it, including Dallas sharpshooter Jason Terry .
"Now we all know who these guys have come to be, like all Hall of Famers. Westbrook, KD, James, Hall of Famers, no doubt. But in that time frame, in that moment, they weren't quite there on that level," he recalled .
"I think they were excited, they was happy to be there, and they were still trying to figure out kind of who they were individually," Terry added. "So they weren't quite together as a unit mentally where they were."
That series really was a matchup of two eras. The Thunder represented a new generation of stars taking the league by storm, with KD already building his reputation as one of the league's most lethal scorers, Westbrook emerging as an exciting superstar, and Harden still settling into his role as a sixth man. The team was on a fast track to much success.
The Mavericks, meanwhile, had already seen every possible playoff situation at that point. They suffered devastating collapses in the 2006 Finals and 2007 playoffs and endured years of scrutiny from fans, especially Dirk, who had a reputation as a playoff choker. They were experienced, and in a stage such as the WCF, it would ultimately be the crucial difference.
The defining moment for the Mavericks really came in Game 4 on the road. They had captured a 2-1 series lead, but the Thunder was poised to even the series, dominating much of the game and entering the fourth quarter with a commanding advantage. Midway through the final frame, they led as much as 15 points, and almost everyone already knew the series was going to be tied, except Dallas, however.
"We just had the edge up. An inexperienced team will fold in those situations. We thrived in it. It's like, 'Oh, 13. That's nothing," Terry stated.
The Mavericks showed immense composure in the closing minutes as Nowitzki continuously attacked the Thunder, eventually finishing with 40 points, as Dallas slowly chipped away at the lead. The Thunder had opportunities to close the game in regulation, but Dallas' resilience eventually took the game to overtime, when Terry and the rest of the team knew their young opponents had blown it.
"Once they let us get to overtime, we knew we had him. You just gave up a 10-point lead. A young team is not going to respond well to that. I don't care if they're at home or on the road," he said.
"We like, 'Nah, the game just started.' Like, we're down 10, okay, cool. We've been here before. But I give a lot of credit to J Kidd, because me, I'm temperamental. I get emotional in a timeout. We're down 10, I'm probably hitting guys in the chest like, 'Man, come on, man.' J Kidd's like, 'Hey, relax. We got this," continued Terry.
The Mavericks completed the comeback, 112-105, to take the 3-1 series lead. OKC never fully recovered from the comeback, as Dallas closed out the series in five games to advance to the Finals.
The Mavericks would further show their resilience in the Finals against the Miami Heat "Big 3", completing one of the most celebrated title runs in league history to capture their first ring.
At the same time, the loss became a valuable lesson for the Thunder, as they reached the Finals the following season and continued to become contenders, with all three of their stars winning MVPs in the years that followed. However, Harden was on a different team.
In many ways, Game 4 represented how Dallas won their maiden ring. Nowitzki and the rest of the team were experienced enough that nothing could really have fazed them. Years of their hardships eventually showed in that series, and at that time, it was the Thunder's turn to endure the disappointment.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jun 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
